Mentorship

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself” Oprah Winfrey. As scholars and educators, our career crosses paths with some of the most fiercely intelligent and dedicated students one can hope to work with. Unfortunately, not all talents and skills are appreciated or acknowledged, and many students do not get the rightful recognition and motivation they deserve. Considering my humble background in Tibet, and the obstacles that challenged and hindered my progress during my early years, I developed a sense of instinct that helps me see the younger version of myself in every student. While I was equipped with the determination and the burning desire to excel toward a better future, education was not a right for every child, especially a child of an immigrant family.

A good mentor can flip our life in a few months. Finding the right mentor to give us constructive feedback to achieve our professional goals is challenging. I'm fortunate to have a fantastic mentor, Dr. Enrique Platin, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). I realized the value of an excellent mentor to pave my academic career in the right direction.

One of the most privileges I enjoy at the University of Detroit Mercy is its diverse student body and culture. The school is located strategically in an underserved community, making it a welcoming place to people from different walks of life and of every gender and race. I have always practiced an open-door policy with my students. Besides offering a caring and helping arm to assist any student in need of the proper guidance in my area of clinical expertise, I enjoy lending a listening ear to students when they visit my office and giving them my undivided attention to comfort them when they feel the need to express the hurdles that students typically endure in highly rigorous programs. The visits that I find to be most rewarding are the ones where my students consult me for professional advice regarding their post-doctorate education. I offer tremendous respect to my dedicated students who are willing to sacrifice precious years of their lives to elevate higher education levels. The nature of my position at the University of Detroit Mercy and the roles that I have held in my previous employments and affiliations brought me to interact with highly regarded professionals worldwide, and I learned of their endeavors. Networking in an interprofessional pool is an excellent asset for any student, professional, and organization. During the few years of my employment at the University of Detroit Mercy, I met, influenced, and guided several students toward entering post-graduate programs where they will shine. Being a part of a student’s success story is my objective and satisfaction in my academic career at the University of Detroit Mercy.

At the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry (U of MN), I became a mentor for Dr. Michal Chan, a periodontics resident, when I was a junior faculty member at the Fortunately, the research team published a bone loss article using extraoral bite-wing in the journal of dental education (JADA). My academic learning at UNC prepared me for an illustrious academic career in the future. My mentor has always advised me to help others when they seek my help. I have mentored and collaborated with over 50 scholars, residents, and dental and undergraduate students at the U of MN, UNC, and the University of Detroit Mercy.

I want to summarize the list of students I mentored and scholars I collaborated with since my faculties at the U of MN.

Summary of List of Mentees and Research Members List of Mentees:

Past Clinical Research Members:

  1. Dr. Michal Chan, former post-doctoral resident- currently a practicing periodontist and an implantologist, Minnesota

  2. Dr. Jinsong Pang, former post-doctoral fellow- currently a material scientist and a prosthodontist, University of North Carolina

  3. Dr. Michael Thomas, former doctoral student – now a successful dentist,

  4. Minnesota Dr. Jinwoo- Choi, former post-doctoral fellow- presently a scientist and a senior radiologist Dankook University, South Korea

  5. Dr. Mansur Ahmad, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota School of Dentistry

  6. Dr. Khashayar Azimi, former doctoral student- currently a Captain and a post-doctoral Periodontics resident, United States Air Force

  7. Dr. Li Zhen Lim, Lecturer and Hospital Consultant, National University of Singapore

  8. Dr. Brittany Kurzweg, former post-doctoral colleague- currently a Lieutenant Commander in US Navy and a senior Radiologist, United States Navy

Research Mentorship:

  1. Dr. Rachel James, Endodontics Resident (Class of 2021), Graduate Endodontics, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry

  2. Dr. Stephanie Grossman, Orthodontics Resident (Class of 2021), Graduate Orthodontics, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry

  3. Dr. Rebecca Monticello, Orthodontics Resident (Class of 2021), Graduate Orthodontics, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry

  4. Dr. Lindsey LaLonde, Endodontics Resident (Class of 2021), Graduate Endodontics, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry

  5. Dr. Andrew Daabous, Orthodontics Resident (Class of 2020), Graduate Orthodontics, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry

  6. Dr. Spencer Holmes, Endodontics Resident (Class of 2020), Graduate Endodontics, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry

  7. Dr. Micha Chan, Periodontics Resident (Class of 2014), Graduate Periodontics, University of Minnesota School of Dentistry

  8. Dr. Steven Santarossa, MD Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Resident, Nebraska Medical Center, University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE

  9. Dr. Thomas Rafail, Orthodontics Resident, Rochester, Eastman, Institute for Oral Health, Rochester, New York

  10. Dr. Hannah Collison, Orthodontics Resident, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Detroit, MI

  11. Dr. Elias Haddad, Endodontics Resident, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Detroit, MI (Dissertation Committee Member)

  12. Dr. Leslie Afable, Endodontics Resident, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Detroit, MI (Dissertation Committee Member)

  13. Dr. Casey Brewer, Orthodontics Resident, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Detroit, MI (Dissertation Committee Member)

  14. Dr. Lucas Mathes, Pediatric Dentistry Resident, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI

  15. Dr. Sophia Elmuradi, Faculty, 2020, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry

  16. Dr. Jacob Flyte - DS4 (Accepted into Graduate Orthodontics program)

  17. Dr. Lucas Mathes - DS4 (Accepted into Graduate Pediatric program)

  18. Dr. Dylan Salem – DS4 (Accepted into Oral Maxillofacial Surgery program)

  19. Dr. Bryan Jung – DS4 (Accepted into General Practice Residency program)

  20. Dr. Stephanie Fotouhi- DS4 (Accepted into Pediatric Dentistry Residency program)

  21. Dr. Alison Yoon- DS4 (Accepted into Orthodontics Residency program)

  22. Dr. Joseph Hirmiz- DS4 (Accepted into Oral Maxillofacial Surgery program)

  23. Dr. Julia Mastracci- DS4 (Accepted into Orthodontics Residency program)

  24. Dr. Maxemilian Nascimento –(Accepted into Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Internship)

  25. Dr. Jonathan Toma – DS4 (Accepted into MD Oral Maxillofacial Surgery program)

  26. Dr. Paul Kamash – DS4 (Accepted into Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Intern program)

  27. Dr. Kyle Radomski – DS4 (Accepted into Maxillofacial Prosthodontics program)

  28. Ms. Ila Sayed – DS4 (Accepted into Orthodontic program)

  29. Ms. Mollie Mahoney (Accepted into Pediatric Dentistry Program)

  30. Ms. Alice Piatkowski (Accepted into Pediatric Dentistry Program)

  31. Dr. Farzin Farahmandnia (Accepted into the AEGD program)

  32. Dr. Nicholas Ostrander (Private Practice)

  33. Mr. Hayden Sutton – DS4 Jacob Lupini – DS4

  34. Yasmina Farah – DS4 Jessica Oh- DS-4

  35. Royce Garmo – DS4

  36. Maria Latorre Sanchez-DS3

  37. Anupam Patil-DS-3

  38. Thaija Vincent- DS3

  39. Donovan Semma- DS3

  40. Martin Murad- DS3

  41. Tamarah Al jorani– DS3

  42. Parinez Zaree Bavani- DS3

  43. Ahmed Mohhammed Ali - DS3

  44. Dawon Oh – DS3

  45. Rachel Florence – DS2

  46. Sahar Ghorbani – DS2

  47. Mr. Caleb Campbell, Accepted into Detroit Mercy Dental School

  48. Ms. Shirin Maalhagh Fard, Accepted Detroit Mercy Dental School

  49. Mr. Nicholas Shaba, Undergraduate, University of Detroit Mercy

  50. Mr. Ali Maalhagh Fard, Undergraduate, University of Detroit Mercy

  51. Ms. Noor Sabri, Undergraduate, University of Detroit Mercy

  52. Ms. Tanya Moaikel, Undergraduate, University of Detroit Mercy

  53. Ms. Estella Rodriguez, NIH BUILD program, University of Detroit Mercy

  54. Ms. Bettol Al-Ammoury, NIH BUILD program, University of Detroit Mercy

  55. Mr. Samir Hazime, School of Dentistry, Indiana University

  56. Mr. Abraham Beydoun, University of Michigan

Mentorship Comments by Colleagues